When species began to develop gunpowder, the ancient antecedent of today's modern mass accelerators, the order and styles of war changed drastically. Since gunpowder allowed for the penetration of older shields and armor, remaining agile and unburdened in combat became the best defensive strategy. This change reduced the heavy armors to more concentrated curiasses; the focus turned toward agility and speed, rather than being a walking tank. As a result the saber was born.The saber is, to be blunt, a sword made for speed. The blade itself is designed primarily for slashing unarmored opponents, and has a sharpened edge down the outward length of the blade for that exact reason. The real reason for its design however has to do with the times it was made, as it was made to be an effective counter to the curiass. While the blade was ineffective against the curiass itself, a slashing attack would often deflect off of the armor and into the opponent, often causing severe injury. The blade is far more devastating in a stabbing attack however, as the curved blade permitted it to wrap around armor, killing the opponent. As a result virtually every sentient species that has developed the saber did so with only minor variations in its ornaments, but with the same devastating design.

With the rise of heavy weapons and blasters, the saber fell from power however. These new weapons made armor relevant yet again, causing the potency of the saber to vanish virtually overnight. The weapon remains in galactic favor however, for while it has diminished battlefield use, it has found another niche for its existence, the honorable duel. While many cultures have outlawed such acts, beings continue into the modern age to settle their disputes with the saber.

The Vibro Axe is a heavy melee weapon that is equipped with a vibration generator that creates ultrasonic vibrations which multiply the damage dealt by the blade's cutting edge. The option to turn the vibrator on or off is selectable, and it is a preference of some larger species to prove their strength by wielding and vanquishing their opponent while the vibrator is deactivated. Such displays of strength often intimidate their foes. The long handle of the modern Vibro Axe is insulated to prevent vibration of the handle, but they are occasionally built using wood or other materials that will vibrate when the generator is activated.Ranging in size and built to suit various species and battle conditions, they are brutal instruments capable of decapitating most unarmed humanoid species with a single blow. Vibro axes of legend were forged from a Cortosis weave which enabled them to withstand parries from lightsabers, but the techniques to produce such priceless weapons have been lost to time, if they were ever known. The Vibro Axe is a favorite of most underworld and other unsavory types who prefer these brutal weapons.

\"The battle axe is an ancient, brutally efficient weapon found throughout the galaxy. The relative ease of its construction, maintenance, and usage quickly attracts any would-be melee fighter. Devised of two basic elements, a haft and a sharpened, wedge shaped head, the weapon can be produced by even the most primitive of cultures. The haft\'s length allows it to act as a lever to increase the force applied at the cutting edge, creating deeper, more severe wounds. Though easy enough to chop wood with, the battle axe is a two-handed weapon that requires some skill and strength to use efficiently in battle.\"

\"Combat knives come in many shapes and sizes. Most militaries and governments today have standardized the types of combat knives issued to their infantry soldiers. One famous knife, usually regarded as a combat knife is the Fairbairn-Sykes knife. Very much like a dagger in its thin, double-edged design, arguably, it is not a combat knife at all, since its purpose is silently killing an unprepared sentry or other foe, rather than fighting. Though it is quick and efficient for extremely close quarter combat nonetheless and it is commonly sold as such around the galaxy.\"

\"The CS-12 Stun Master is a primarily defensive weapon which produces an extremely intense electrical shock when it encounters flesh, thereby incapacitating the receiver with minimal long-term harm. It resembles a tiny lightsaber and has more than once been incorrectly recognized as one, to the good or ill fortune of the wielder. It was designed for civilian use in self-defense, but has found a niche in several criminal organizations and special operations groups across the galaxy.\"

\"The force pike is a popular weapon and one of the primary tools used by the Imperial Royal Guard; it was originally marketed with a pithy reference to its common use by the Guard, \"Reach out and touch somebody.\" The force pike is a deadly weapon; its long reach and precision provide advantages on the battlefield or in crowd control situations, which is why it can also be seen in use by a wide variety of planetary militias and police forces.\"

\"The gaderffii, colloquially referred to as the \"gaffi stick\", is a very durable bladed club made of metal. The traditional close-combat weapon of the Tusken Raiders of Tatooine, they are usually crafted of whatever salvage the sand people can find. Similar in many ways to a double-headed flanged mace, one end of the \"stick\" is commonly a quad-bladed mace head with a spear point. The other side traditionally bends in an L-shape at the end into a heaver spike or claw.\"

\"Vibroblades are the galaxy\'s main cutting weapon of choice. Though they come in many different shapes and sizes, ranging from knives to longer swords, vibroblades are all equipped with a compact ultrasonic generator in the hilt. This causes the blade to vibrate at enormous speeds, thus giving the weapon its name. Because of this ultrasonic vibration, even a glancing blow from one of these weapons could become a life-threatening injury.\"

\"Almost every culture throughout the galaxy utilizes some form of whip, be it for driving farm animals, showing slaves who\'s boss, or to lacerate the skin of one\'s foes. Whips often have sharp sections of metal woven into the tip or throughout the length of the weapon to improve their offensive capability. A notable user of the whip was the fictional adventurer \'Bantha-rider Bones,\' a Sullustan who traveled the galaxy searching for artifacts, battling evil regimes and thwarting their misbegotten schemes, all while wearing an over-sized hat.\"

\"The BD-1 uses a hollow durasteel shaft with internal dampeners which absorb vibrations from the ax blade. The high-powered ax head can slice though armor plating like rotting cloth, and the quick release switch allows the fighter to replace a damaged blade in seconds. Six power cells permit up to eight hours of continuous use, and the intensity switch allows the fighter to determine precisely how much damage the blade will cause. The weapons are sturdy and feature superior weight distribution for better handling.\"